Seniors
“America’s seniors helped build this nation and we owe them our respect and gratitude. Preserving Medicare and Social Security should provide peace of mind that our seniors deserve.”
We owe our seniors respect, gratitude and thanks for their contributions to society. They deserve to enjoy their time with family and friends, rather than worrying about retirement security and healthcare costs. Throughout my Congressional career, I have championed the need for resources and services so that seniors can live independently, in their communities, for as long as possible.
Preserving Medicare and Social Security should be a fundamental value held by every Member of Congress, and any attempt to scale back the program endangers the health of the millions of Americans who elected them. I want to restore the peace of mind that our seniors deserve by fighting attempts to cut these and other critical programs which they rely on. Because Medicare is such a highly-rated and cost-effective program, I support efforts to allow people to begin buying into the program at age 55. This would go a long way toward helping older Americans deal with skyrocketing health care costs. It would also strengthen the program overall and benefit current participants by bringing in younger and healthier patients into the risk pool. I am working to add dental coverage as a Medicare benefit, and I have publicly urged the Administration to provide coverage for medically necessary oral and dental treatment.
I’m also committed to ensuring that retirement security is achievable and that our seniors find confidence in their IRAs and 401k plans as our economy changes. I’m working across the aisle on the Retirement Security & Savings Act, a broad set of reforms designed to help Americans save more for retirement and to increase access to 401ks and other retirement plans. I remain a strong supporter of the Older Americans Act, which expresses our nation’s commitment to protecting our seniors and includes special provisions I authored to help Holocaust survivors living in the United States access essential services, such as health care and nutritional services, without having to live in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
